COST & FUNDING
Tuition & Fees
For the most current information on tuition and fees, visit the EIU Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships cost page.
Graduate Assistantships: Benefits & Requirements
Once admitted to our program, you may apply for a competitive graduate assistantship, which includes:
- Financial Support: A 9-month stipend and a tuition waiver covering two semesters and one summer.
- Responsibilities: 18 hours per week assisting faculty with research projects and grading.
- Availability: Assistants must be available on campus during weekdays, and occasionally on weekends.
Deadlines & Requirements
- You can apply for an assistantship when you apply to the program.
- Spring assistantship applications are due November 1.
- It is very rare to have assistantships available for students for the Spring semester.
- Decisions will be made no later than December 1.
- Fall assistantship applications are due February 15. Fall assistantship decisions are made by early March.
- Key Components of a Successful Application:
- An undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher
- Strong letters of recommendation
- A specific and detailed personal statement
- Assistantships are very competitive. In a typical year, 90% of applicants for graduate assistantships do not receive awards.
For questions about the graduate assistantship application process, contact Political Science Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Jin Hong Kim at jhkim2@eiu.edu.
Graduate Scholarships
In addition to departmental assistantships, additional assistantships exists across the university. You can learn more about assistantships from the Graduate School. We encourage you to review the availability of university-level scholarships:
